Quartet of Divinities
by Trisyl
Summary: Set in the future of the Circle of Magic's world, everything has changed. The Quartet have become revered as gods. Until darkness threatens the past, and their only hope is the future.. who do not believe they are who they claim to be.. How will they get
1. In the Beginning

Quartet of Divinities:  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anybody or thing. Darn it!  
  
Before you read, you should know that these people are NOT the Quartet. They'll come later. These are their descendants.  
  
In the Beginning:  
  
Sandris:  
  
She trembled as she put the final touch to her celebratory robes. It was complete, and it was time for her to begin to play her role as priestess to the Weaving Temple. Quietly, she slipped on the heavily embroidered dress. Life in the temple had taught her not to make a sound. Dedicate Hemmings did not appreciate disturbances in the atmosphere. Sandry laughed. Anything that the fussy dedicate didn't like was bound to be fun, minus a few things.  
  
She just couldn't believe that after nine years of isolation, not, of course, counting the other girls she had trained with, she would finally be ready to enter the Streets. She would be Head Priestess. In name only, of course, for a while. Until she turned fourteen, the day that Goddess Sandry received her first student, took on her first experience alone in the world. Then, they would hand over the temple duties to her alone.  
  
It was dark inside, and she had no light. They had made sure that, for the last two weeks, she had been in complete darkness. And in a few minutes, she would have to summon the Power. If it didn't come, as it hadn't for the last few Candidates, a few weeks ago, she would be quietly disposed of, while the next Candidate took her place.  
  
Candidates were trained together, when they were young. She was glad that she had taken the Weaving Temple when she was born. Only the Weaving Temple Candidates were allowed the life of luxury before priestesshood. She pitied the people outside the safe temple walls that no disease could penetrate. They were so poor, and they didn't even realize it.  
  
She absently braided together the few leftover strands of the embroidery threads. It was so dark in here. . . Suddenly, she was nearly blinded by a flash of light coming from the braid. It came in flashes, not in a steady stream, the way the goddess had hers. But it was acceptable. She laughed as power surged through her. It was great to do this!  
  
Dajana:  
  
Dajana, or Dajan, grabbed on to one of the many floating devices around her. She looked to see if any of the other candidates had survived. They hadn't. She could see many bodies around her, and ignored them. They were lowly servants, symbolizing the family that the Smith-Goddess Daja had lost aboard the ship. She also ignored the tears that were overflowing on her face. Obviously, she had triggered an allergic reaction. It certainly wasn't as if she liked any of those low born.  
  
She pushed death to the back of her mind, and concentrated on her two tasks; finding survivors and summoning one of the surakus. If she succeeded, she would qualify as Top Smith in her Guild. Every year, they would do this, to find potential smiths for the guild. It had a high death rate, though, she admitted regretfully as she thought of Dana, Ani, Jorality, Niamara and Kami.  
  
Jorality in particular was her friend, perhaps because they were the same age. Her cousin Niamara was nice, but seemed too young to make a suitable companion. Only eight years to Dajan's ten. She gritted her teeth impatiently and focused on one task, summoning the suraku. "Come, you stupid box." She thought vengefully, and pushed at it with her mind. It shifted, and moved towards her.  
  
"Come!" she thought, and pushed as hard as she could. The box hesitantly floated to her, where she grasped it tightly in her arms, knowing that she had found salvation. Then, she concentrated on her other chore; finding Jory and seeing if she were alive. "Jory!" she called softly. A faint bubbling to her left indicated life. She turned, and carefully paddled to the edge of them. A cheery Nia sprang up. "Hello!" she called to Dajan, who rolled her eyes, since she was only a few centimeters away.  
  
"Where's your cousin?" she asked brusquely. Nia looked hurt, then angry. "She drowned." The younger girl retorted sharply. Dajan's world seemed to spin around her. "She- what?" she snapped. Nia looked fearful, but determined. "She drowned." She repeated carefully, and slowly, as if Dajan were stupid. Changing her tones she remarked, "Now let's get to that island, and wait out the other three days. Or do you wanna wait for the meat eaters to come up and devour you?"  
  
Dajan realized the sense in her words, and began paddling, grumbling all the way. She didn't like taking orders from a younger girl.  
  
((O.K., whatcha think? I know, I know. No Circle of Magic yet! Chapter three is when our favorite heros (and heroines) come in. Sorry guys.. But please REVIEW!!!!!))  
  
~Trisani 


	2. In the Beginning II

Quartet of Divinities:  
  
Disclaimer: No matter whatever happens, I will never own Circle characters. The entire Circle in the Future, however, is mine. Nyah Nyah!  
  
The Festival:  
  
Briar:  
  
"I ain't no rat!" retorted the young boy cheekily. "So what's your name, lady?" The pretty girl stared at him in distaste. "Get away, street rat's get." Her voice was dismissive. "Get away, you and your ugly friends." Alleycat lazily flipped out her daggers. Yawning, she twirled one on a finger while she threw the others straight at the badly frightened girl, and the wall that she was backed up against. They all missed, but some of them caught on the girl's dress, and tore it, and some pinned it to the wall, making it hard to run away.  
  
Dancer slid up. "Want me ta teach her a lesson?" Her tone was casual, but Briar could see she was dying to sink her knives into their prey. Privately, he agreed with her. The girl was too darn proud, and he could see that the comment about how ugly they were had hurt Dancer badly. Dancer, who had danced in bars for a living, when one of the drunken customers had hit her because he didn't like her dancing. She had never lost the mark on her cheek, spreading like a yellow-green wart.  
  
"No." he said calmly. "Roach." The younger boy perked up, and scuttled towards him. "You called?" Search her for goods. Slug, watch for the temple people. Viper, check out for more Bags. Cheater, go pay a visit to the pawners. They'll be glad to get whatever this gal's got." He eyed her necklace appreciatively. "That outta fetch a nice price." The girl tried to spit at him, and Briar had to admit she was good. She spat a good two meters.  
  
But he continued listing orders. "Turtle, your reflexes are still too slow, but you should be able to catch this fish if she runs." The slow-witted boy nodded dully, bending and shrinking until he was only a shadow in the background, except for his bright tiny eyes. Briar simply sat and watched as Roach searched her, and came up with more than Briar could've dreamed. Several rings were in her pockets, and he suspected they were all real.  
  
"Roach. I feel generous today. Leave her one." The younger boy hesitated, and Briar added "The smallest one." Roach nodded, and scurried to his orders. He was grinning, thinking longingly of Cook Gorseberry at the temple, who had probably saved up some mouth watering treats. After they did their business, they could retreat to luxury at the temple. He was so deep into his thoughts that he didn't notice someone behind him until they tapped him on the shoulder.  
  
"Master Briar." The voice was acid on his skin. He spun around to confront. . "Dedicate Crane." He said, mimicking the sour quality in his words. "Aren't you respectful." The dedicate continued sarcastically. "Aren't your thieving times from 9:00- 11:00? In case you have no watch, it is now 12:30." Briar knew that. He switched tactics. "Aww. But Dedicate Crane, we just saw this here Bag on the streets, and thought." "You are now supposed to be back at the temple." Interrupted the older man.  
  
Meanwhile, Roach had finished his job. But instead of running, the girl simply stood there, her mouth agape. "You mean this is the.." she croaked softly. Crane threw her an annoyed and hurried glance. "Yes," he said quickly. "This is the new Briar Plant-Mage." "But that's the most wanted social position in.." she continued. Briar threw her a grin. "Guess you shoulda been more polite when ya talked ta me!" he retorted, before Crane dragged him by his ear in the direction of the temples. "Do the rest of the job!" he called to the two remaining members of the gang. They nodded.  
  
Trisani: (that's me!)  
  
"Tris, do try to concentrate." She mimicked her elders. "Tris, if a bargainer offers you 2 gold pieces for a 100 year old suraku, what should you do? Tris, brew this tea. Tris, Tris, TRIS!!" She blew a stray strand of stringy red-brown foxlike hair out of her face. "I'm getting tired of this." She threw up her hands and surrendered herself to the wind completely. The wind was gentle at first, but began slowly whipping up a storm.  
  
Lightning struck a near branch, but she didn't care. The feeling of electricity felt tingly against her skin. Quickly, the wind carried her above the clouds, and sent her for a ride. There were jerks, sudden stops that caught her breathless, and bumps. But she didn't care. Anything was better than sitting in a stuffy room being polite and learning how to bargain.  
  
"Tris!" She was so dreamy that she didn't care if they yelled at her. "Tris!" She still didn't mind. "TRISANI!!!!!" That blow she minded. She preferred being "Tris", not "Trisani", and certainly not "Trisana". "Coming!" she replied. With a mischievous whisk of the wind, she quickly knitted a rope, and ordered it to wrap around Dedicate Staghorn's leg. She gave an experimental tug. The dedicate shrieked. She grinned as she gently dropped to the ground.  
  
The dedicate grabbed her arm. "Where are we going?" she shrieked in his ear. "It is time for you to meet Sandry." Tris prayed that she wasn't spoiled. She didn't want to have to spend the next two years with a brat. 


End file.
